WATCH: Mueller says charging president ‘not an option’

WASHINGTON — Special counsel Robert Mueller says charging a president with a crime was “not an option” his team could consider in the Russia investigation.

Mueller says that he was bound by longstanding Justice Department opinions that say a president can’t be indicted while in office.

In his first public comments in the probe, Mueller said on Wednesday “it would be unfair” to potentially accuse someone of a crime when the person couldn’t stand trial to defend himself.

Mueller’s comments echoed the findings in his public report.

Mueller’s report revealed that President Donald Trump tried to seize control of the Russia probe and force Mueller’s removal to stop him from investigating potential obstruction of justice by the Republican president. Trump has called the investigation a “witch hunt.”